On September 9, the American Jewish Committee Asia Pacific Institute and the U.S.-Japan Council jointly held a private reception at the Manhattan home of AJC President Stanley Bergman and Dr. Marion Bergman. The reception featured Dr. Susumu "Sus" Ito, a 442nd Regimental Combat Team veteran who was a Second Lieutenant of the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion (FAB) (U.S.).

Dr. Ito shares stories of his youth

The 522nd FAB, composed entirely of Japanese Americans, was part of the U.S. forces that discovered and liberated the Dachau concentration camp system from the Nazis during World War II, freeing thousands of Jewish survivors.

Dr. Ito, who is 96 years old, is a member of USJC and a professor emeritus of Harvard Medical School. During the event, he shared many of the thousands of photographs he took during the war. His story captivated the audience of over forty leaders of Japanese American, Japanese and Jewish American communities in New York City, including the Consulate-General of Japan in New York.

The following afternoon, USJC convened a luncheon with a few Council Members and friends, where Dr. Ito expanded on his stories and personally engaged with those who were present. The reception and the luncheon reflect USJC's commitment to strengthen the diversity of leaders involved in the U.S.-Japan relationship.

(L-R) Ms. Hirano Inouye; Ambassador Reiichiro Takahashi, Consul General of Japan in New York; Dr. Ito; and Council Member Julie Azuma reflect during the luncheon